Spring Break Retreat ’16: Unpacking it All

Sometimes in life you have days that seem to move slowly and quickly all at the same time. Moments that you want to hold onto forever, but moments that also remind you how beautiful life is, making you excited for what is next. (This is what happens when you get bacon for breakfast).

This is Day 3 at the Girlvana Yoga Retreat.

The walls that we have grown accustom to building up around us have fallen. There is a newness, a curiosity, a shared vulnerability to everyone. From this there is a shared experience of pure honesty and love, a willingness to share our stories, our past, our fears, knowing we will be seen and not judged.

The energy in the room shifted - once everyone shared their story you could feel the weight released from everyones body. The yoga practice kept us moving, pushing through the heaviness that can sometimes build up in our bodies. Moving our bodies can be the best remedy, as it is an outlet to release the emotions that we keep so close to ourselves.

Before lunch we wrote letters to ourselves, the negative stories we have held on to for too long that needed to be released. We then threw them into the fire and watched them burn and turn to ashes. There is something so cleansing about letting the flames set fire to the things. Burning our past, making space for the future.

In the pouring rain we packed on layers and headed to the water. A few brave ones went for a dip in the ocean and the rest took our ashes from the letters and let them go into the sea.

In typical retreat fashion, the evening was filled with a long table dinner, games, and performances of self expression that included dance and music.